ORACLE, Ariz. - Music of the Sphere: I Leap through the Sky with Stars will combine the beauty of the universe with the beauty of musical performance in a way not often seen in southern Arizona, in the one-of-a-kind setting of Biosphere 2.
Pianist Ji-Young Kim joins UA Professor Emeritus Richard Powell in the opening presentation, "I Leap through the Sky with Stars: Looking Beyond the Sky. " Powell, former vice president for research at the UA and an avid amateur astronomer who has displayed his photographs at many venues throughout the United States, will present his extraordinary imagery of the night sky and an overview of the world above us. Kim will accompany Powell's presentation with Music by Alexina Louie.
Piano Duo Gastesi-Bezerra will perform Terry W. Owens' "Ariadne's Crown" as a prelude to the presentation, "Cultural Astronomy" by Jarita Holbrook, who will take us around the world for a tour of indigenous astronomy traditions. In honor of Black History Month, her presentation includes a special section on Africa. This presentation highlighting people and their relationship to the night sky is appropriate for kids of all ages. Holbrook, a past chair of the Cultural Astronomy & Storytelling group for the United States, is an internationally recognized research scientist at the University of Arizona.
Percussionist Stephen Tipping takes us on a musical journey with "Voyager," a piece by Richard McCandless, inspired by the two spacecraft launched by NASA in the mid-1970s. Tipping will be joined by the distinguished astronomer David Arnett.
"NEBULAE (2008)" is the title of an interactive presentation by Organist Matthew Whitehouse that guides the listener on a musical journey through the mysterious sequence of events marking the birth of a star. Glowing with the light of myriad newborn stars, nebulae are vast interstellar clouds of dust and gas -- veritable nurseries where stars are born. They are among the most beautiful phenomena in the night sky. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with the composer, ask questions and have an up-close encounter with the large digital organ installed for this event.
Other features include music by Eric Ryan Costenbader, composed for the unique acoustic of Biosphere's "Lung," a vast, "breathing" steel chamber housing the mechanism that regulates air pressure within the Biosphere complex.
"'Wonder, mystery, inspiration, imagination' are all words that come to mind when we look into a night sky studded with stars, and also when we listen to music," says Regents Professor Paula Fan, who put the event together. "The exploration of our fascination with the world above us combined with the mesmerizing sounds of these powerful works will be a memorable experience."
WHEN:
Saturday, February 20, 2010
WHERE:
Biosphere 2, 32540 S. Biosphere Road, Oracle, AZ 85623
This special event is included with the price of tour admission. For more information, tour prices, directions, and hours of operation, please call 520-838-6200 or visit www.b2science.org .
